■TROLLING WITH DEAD GORGE-BAIT. 185 



as a minnow, they seize it by the middle of its body ; in turning 

 it to talce it down head foremost they in a measure masticate it ; 

 but if the prey be a large gudgeon, or a large roach or dace, it is 

 much mutilated and only partially swallowed, that is, the head and 

 shoulders ; and the pike, perch, or trout's jaws are constantly 

 triturating and masticating the head and shoulders of the fish so 

 preyed upon to a pulp, and following up the same process with the 

 remainder until it passes into the stomach. 



If this opinion is correct, even in a modified sense, which 

 I have reason to know that it is in the case of the pike, it 

 proves the importance of getting rid to the utmost, if possible 

 of all unnatural stuffing, and internal stiffenings of brass wire. 



The object of the modern innovation is obvious. It is by 

 assimilating the length of the hook shank, &c., to tl\at of the 

 bait to have a solid piece to which to attach the bait's tail — a 

 very necessary process with this tackle in order to prevent its 

 slipping down, and, so to speak, doubling up when brought into 

 contact with weeds and other obstacles. The point of the wire 

 arming being brought out at the bait's tail, the latter is care- 

 fully whipped on to the trace, or perhaps sewn through with a 

 needle and thread. The process is tedious, however, and to be 

 effectual requires to be done very carefully, whilst I know few 

 things more trying than pottering in an east wind with half- 

 frozen fingers over the complicated miseries of needle and 

 thread, or when perhaps the only precious hour of a short 

 winter's afternoon is gliding away. 



Moreover, if the hock shank should not be exactly the 

 same length as the bait it results in there either being nothing 

 to lap it to or of leaving a stump of twisted brass wire pro- 

 truding in the spot of all others where it is most certain to be 

 seen. When some years ago I had occasion to practise gorge- 

 bait fishing rather energetically for a time these facts were 

 brought so constantly and inconveniently under my notice 

 that I devoted some attention to considering how the tackle 

 could be improved ; the object being, of course, to get rid of 

 the superfluous wire hook shank, and, starting with hooks 



